


Charlie & Aideen

by cheeky_blinders



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: F/M, Forbidden Love, Sneaking Out, Teenagers, like literally teenagers just being teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:53:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21585676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheeky_blinders/pseuds/cheeky_blinders
Summary: What's in a name? That which we call a roseBy any other name would smell as sweet.Juliet.Romeo and Juliet(II, ii, 1-2)Charlie Shelby falls for the wrong girl.
Relationships: Charlie Shelby x OFC, Charlie Shelby x Own female character, Charlie Shelby/OFC, Charlie Shelby/Own female character, Tommy Shelby/Lizzie Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter One

“Right, I’ll be back in ‘bout an hour, eh?” Thomas said, slipping into the London crowd as Charlie nodded. Thomas had a few business dealings in the city that day and Charlie wanted to accompany him in order to find a birthday present for Ruby (and to go to London, of course). Tommy had suggested a handful of shops for Charlie to visit so off he went, choosing a clothing store first. As Charlie walked in, the smell of perfume hit him in the face like a shovel, causing a cough to immediately form in the boy’s chest and throat.

That was a quick no.

The second store that Charlie went to was a toy store however, all the toys felt too young for Ruby. What did Ruby even play with now? Did she still play with those model horses? Feeling utterly lost in this store, Charlie left but he did not feel too disappointed. It was a warm spring day and he was not in any rush.

A soft bell rang overhead as Charlie pushed open the door to the third shop. The store contained mostly women’s clothing and fashion, Charlie noted, though there were some other small knick-knacks. Perhaps Ruby would like a ribbon for her hair? Is that what ten-year-old girl’s liked? Or was a ribbon too young for her?

Wandering over to the ribbon area, Charlie found himself staring at rows of colored ribbon. Who knew there could be so many shades of reds and blues and purples? Not to mention the length of the ribbon. Did he get a long one? A short one?

Charlie was beginning to regret this decision.

As he turned on his heel to leave an obstacle was in his way...a girl. “Pardon.” He said, moving to the left while she parroted him. Charlie moved to the right and the girl did the same thing. At the third attempt, when they both moved the same way again, the girl pressed a hand to her mouth, giggling. That was when Charlie stopped trying to move and instead stared at the beauty before her.

The girl could not have been much younger than Charlie who was nearing his sixteenth birthday. As their eyes met, he was caught off guard of how sea-green her eyes were, a soft sea-green, like the ribbons he’d been staring at just moments before. God, her entire face seemed to be perfectly symmetrical down to the freckles that were sprinkled across her nose. “Pardon me,” The girl said in a soft, Irish accent, finally moving to the side and stepping up to the counter to look at the ribbon.

Despite having just looked at the ribbons, Charlie found himself back at the counter, standing almost shoulder to shoulder with the girl. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Charlie noted her modest, forest green gown, complete with a matching hat on top. Unlike other girls who were pinning their hair up, this girl chose to leave her hair down, allowing the light brown curls to fall to her shoulders and rest around her face.

“Can I help you?”

Charlie blinked and his cheeks burned red as he realized the girl was talking to him...which meant he must have been staring. His mouth opened and closed a few times and despite how hard he tried, no sound was coming out. God, she was staring at him with those beautiful eyes of hers and-

_FOCUS CHARLIE!_

“I-I apologize,” Charlie said, finally having found his voice by some miracle. “It’s just, your hair.” He began, clearing his throat. “It’s the same color as my sister’s, you see, and uh her birthday is in a few days and I wanted to get her a ribbon for her hair but I’m not the best with colors, I’m afraid.” He paused to see that the girl was still watching him quietly. “And well, I was trying to use your hair as a way to figure out what color would work well for him.” In the back of his mind, Charlie knew he had been rambling and he mentally cursed himself for doing so.

“How old is your sister?” The girl asked, turning back to the ribbons before them.

“She’ll be turning ten.”

“Ah, double digits, very exciting.” She considered the choices before them for a moment before choosing a sky blue ribbon. “Here, this color should suit her well. Get it long because it will allow her to play around with how she wishes to style her hair.”

Charlie took the ribbon from her gloved hand, smiling his thanks at her.

But now what? What else could he have to say to her? There must be something! Anything to say to this beautiful girl before she slipped from his fingers!

“I’m Charlie.” Charlie blurted out as the girl glanced over at him, giving him a smile. One of her teeth was chipped, Charlie noted though it looked perfect on her.

“Aideen.” She replied and the two shook hands in greeting. Her gloved hand was warm in his, Charlie smiled with delight.

“You’re from Ireland, aren’t you?” When Aideen nodded, Charlie continued. “My mum was from Ireland. From Galway, actually. Where are you from?” He asked as he played with the ribbon she had suggested.

“Ah, I know Galway. Have some family there.” She paused, eyes glancing over the colors for a moment before turning her attention back to Charlie. “But we’re from Kerry.” Charlie had no idea where that was but he nodded as if he did. “Though my family moved here about a year ago and we live in Lee Bank now.”

“Oh, I know Lee Bank!” Charlie said, this time telling the truth. “I’m from Small Heath. We’re in the same neighborhood of Birmingham. I think it’s about a twenty-minute drive?” Aideen gave a small shrug.

“I’m afraid I wouldn’t know. I don’t leave Lee Bank very often. Today is one of the rare days that my father has business in London so he allowed me to come with him.”

“My father is here for the same reason,” Charlie said before steering the subject away from his father and back to Aideen. “Have you been to London often?” When the girl shook her head, a grin spread to Charlie’s lips. “Well, if you want, I could show you around. I know some really nice places that are close by too.” Aideen chewed on her lip for a pause and Charlie found himself holding his breath, praying that she would say yes.

“That would be wonderful. Just let me just go pay for this.” Aideen said and Charlie nodded, feeling the pressure easing in his chest. The two went up to the cashier and paid for their ribbons before heading out.

“Right, let’s see...would you like to start with Tower Bridge? It’s over there,” Charlie pointed in the near distance. “And we can walk across it and you can see the Thames. It isn’t the nicest of rivers though, I’ll admit.”

“That sounds lovely,” Aideen said and the two went off side by side. “So you grew up in Small Heath?” Aideen asked as they walked along the busy streets of London.

“Aye, I did,” Charlie answered over the sound of the motorcars. “I liked it. We lived out in the countryside and I was able to learn to ride horses and fox hunt. We also have really nice flower gardens and the air is fresh too. None of this London smog.” He explained as they sidestepped a vendor selling potatoes.

“I do agree that London is rather...dirty,” Aideen said and Charlie gave a shrug.

“I would say a bit worse than dirty.” That got her to laugh, a soft, light sound that made Charlie’s heart flutter and grin.

“What’s Lee Bank like to live in then, eh?” He asked and watched as Aideen pursed her lips for a moment as she considered her response.

“It’s nice enough, I suppose. The houses are rather crowded together, which took some adjustment. Back in Kerry, we lived in the countryside and had plow horses, although what I would have given to have. My father was a farmer so that was what life I lived before we came here.” The two continued to trade stories from their childhood and Charlie was fascinated by the different styles of living Aideen and her family had lived. Aideen felt the exact same way and she had just as many questions for Charlie as he had for her.

They took their time crossing the Tower Bridge, stopping cobblestone after cobblestone to look out at the city before them. “Everybody in London is always rushing about,” Aideen grumbled as she was jerked to the side and knocked into Charlie by a man rushing by

“Pardon.” She said, straightening herself up quickly.

“No worries and I suppose it’s true...everyone is talking about war so that probably makes things worse...did your father fight in the war?” Charlie asked, resulting in Aideen looking away and not replying for nearly a minute. As each second ticked by without an answer, Charlie began to question...had he messed something up? He should never have asked that question. What had he been thinking? Had he even been thinking!?

“What’s that large park in London called again?” Aideen said, breaking the silence, much to the relief of Charlie who answered her and quickly began to describe the beauty of the park, pushing the subject of the war behind them. Charlie led the way as they crossed the bridge into a smaller nearby park.

The day was perfect for a walk in the park and Charlie felt like everything was looking its best just for him. The flowers were in bloom, their vibrant colors standing out among the green bushes and shrubs. It turned out that Aideen knew her flowers quite well and it was her turn to teach Charlie. They stopped at a small vendor where Charlie bought them a large pretzel to split.

They found a bench under a shady hazel tree and split their snack there. As they nibbled and talked, birds began to gather in search of food. “My uncle Charlie is really good with birds. Well, horses are his main animal but he knows a lot about birds. He showed me how to get a bird to trust. Want to see?” When Aideen nodded, Charlie broke off a small piece of pretzel before sliding onto the ground, palm out flat.

The birds hopped around him, tweeting and chirping though none of them seemed brave enough to succeed in the challenge. Charlie continued to stay still until one bird, a small brown thing with a white chest, hopped onto Charlie’s hand and snatched up the snack. It did not take long after that before other birds were willing to eat from the boy’s hand and as the group grew bigger, birds began to hop up onto Charlie, sitting on his arms and legs, even on top of his Peaky cap.

“Oh my goodness!” Aideen said as she held back peels of laughter, watching the other be covered in birds. “Can you show me how to do that?” Charlie motioned for her to sit and once she did, he placed the last of pretzel in her hand.

“Hold it out and just wait,” Charlie instructed, moving Aideen’s hand to the ground. It was only a matter of mere moments before the birds jumped onto Aideen’s hand, nipping at the food. She squealed, frightening the birds and sending them scattering.

“That felt so weird.” She confided to Charlie. “It was a small pinch on my hand...I didn’t expect that.” The birds came hopping back but once they realized that there was no food left, they flew off. Charlie stood then, offering Aideen a hand that she took and Charlie guided her to her feet. “That was wonderful,” Aideen told Charlie as she dusted off the back of her dress. “Do you know what time is it?” When Charlie showed her his pocket watch, she frowned. “I should get going back…”

“Yeah, course. Me too.” Charlie said as he glanced at the time himself, feeling his stomach drop as the realization that he was late hit him. They hurried back in silence, slowing down when they neared the shop that they had met at.

“I had a lot of fun, thank you, Charlie,” Aideen told him, giving him a warm smile. “I don’t have many friends here so it was nice to…” She trailed off but Charlie understood exactly what she meant. Because of his father, Charlie had grown up rather isolated with only Ruby and his cousins to play with. Those who he did meet outside of the family often did not stick around long enough to become friends before they got frightened. After all, he was Thomas Shelby’s son.

“Perhaps-Perhaps we could meet up another time?” Charlie suggested, the words pouring from his lips before he could stop them. He held his breath only releasing it when Aideen smiled.

“I would love that.” They made plans to meet up in Aston next Saturday at the park in town before parting ways. Charlie was indeed late with meeting his father but as Tommy scolded him, the boy hardly paid attention. On the ride home, Charlie was silent, staring out the car window with a small, goofy smile on his lips.


	2. Chapter Two

The next week passed by agonizingly slow for Charlie, for it seemed all he could think about was Aideen. Questions about her swirled around Charlie’s mind in a frenzy and he ached to know the answers. What was her favorite color? Did she like to read? Was she an only child? What was her favorite animal? The questions spun in Charlie’s head but one of them continued to stand out more than the others: Is she thinking about him this much too?

Ruby’s birthday was celebrated Friday evening and as Aideen had predicted, the girl loved the ribbon and Lizzie tied it in her hair instantly. “You chose a nice color,” Tommy commented from where he sat, a cigarette resting in his fingers.

“I had help from a friend.” Was the response Charlie gave, unable to stop a goofy smile appear on his lips. The next morning arrived and Charlie was up at the crack of dawn. Sitting still was difficult for the boy so he made his way down to the stables, spending some time with the horses before returning to the main house as everyone else was starting to rise. 

Quickly changing into an outfit of casual black trousers and a blue buttoned-up shirt, he raced down to the dining room, anxiously waiting for his father to come down. 

“Da?” Charlie asked, his fingers twisting together underneath the table as his father sat down to his breakfast and morning paper.

“Hmm?” Tommy asked, glancing at his son for a pause before turning his eyes to the paper in front of him. 

“Could I...borrow a car for the day?” This caused Tommy’s eyes to turn back to Charlie and the boy was met with his father’s hard icy stare.

“Why?” There was no anger behind his voice, least not that Charlie could tell. If anything, his father seemed almost unbothered which was good.

“Just a friend from school.” It took a few tense moments before Tommy nodded and looked back down at his paper.

“Be back by dinner tonight!” He called as Charlie raced from the room as if a rocket had just been set off underneath him. Charlie raced into the garage and grabbed a pair of keys off the side, hurrying into the car. He was out of the driveway within five minutes.

At first, the drive was alright but that did not last for long before Charlie’s thoughts began to drift back to Aideen. It was supposed to be sunny today...did that mean her hair would be up or down? And what color dress would she be wearing? Thoughts like these continued to pester Charlie just as they had done during the week. They also proved to be a tad distracting and almost caused Charlie to crash into a bus.

After that, Charlie focused with all of his might. 

Having studied maps during the week, Charlie knew where he needed to go. Excitement radiated from his body as his hands clutched the steering wheel in an attempt to keep them from shaking. What color dress would she be wearing? Perhaps it would be blue? A blue that matched her eyes? What about another green dress? Was she going to wear a hat? Gloves?

Charlie's thoughts continued to wander and he almost missed the turnoff for the town. He arrived exactly ten minutes before they were scheduled to meet and took this time to make sure that his slightly sun-bleached brown hair was parted neatly and sat under his peaky cap. Glancing at his pocket watch, he noticed that it was a few minutes before 11:00 and he should get going.

Closing the car door behind him, Charlie pulled down his navy suit jacket, making sure that there were no ruffles or wrinkles before going into the park. And there she was, standing by the small fountain as they had agreed on. Today Aideen was wearing a light yellow dress that cascaded down to her knees with a pair of simple black heels on underneath. As Charlie grew closer, he noticed the white dots that were scattered about on the fabric. 

“Hello,” Charlie said as he reached her side.

“Hello!” Aideen greeted, giving Charlie a dazzling smile.

“I hope you don’t mind me sayin’ this but you...you look wonderful,” Charlie said as his eyes scanned her face, loving the red lipstick she had applied and how her hair was now pinned up in a perfect bun.

“I don’t mind you saying at all,” Aideen said, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. “It’s sweet of you to say. Thank you.” Charlie motioned for her to go and the two started their walk. They chatted about this and that, about their week and such. Aideen asked how Ruby’s birthday went and Charlie told her that it went well and, “She refuses to take the bow out of her hair except to shower...much to the displeasure of Lizzie.” This got a laugh out of Aideen who understood the little girl’s love for her ribbon. It turned out they had rather a lot in common and Charlie was able to get many of his questions answered. Aideen’s favorite animal turned out to be a horse (much to Charlie’s delight) and her favorite color was purple to which Charlie decided was fitting since purple represents royalty and Aideen certainly could be a princess. After they made it through the park, Charlie brought up the idea of lunch to which Aideen eagerly agreed to.

They settled upon a small cafe and took advantage of the warm day to sit outside. “What is your family like?” Aideen asked after they had put in their orders.

“Dramatic,” Charlie answered instantly and Aideen’s laughter joined his.

“Mine is the same way.” She told him.

“Yeah...family can be like that. But I’ve got my dad then Lizzie who is my stepmother and then Ruby.” 

“What happened to your birth mom?”

“She died when I was little. Shot in some sort of accident. I was really small and I don’t remember her. Occasionally I have a dream where I’m staring up and it’s her face above me, singing a lullaby or something…” Charlie drifted off as the image of Grace appeared before his eyes. “She was beautiful though...and kind. Everyone said she was kind and that she could sing quite well.” He murmured before pulling his eyes back to Aideen. “What about your family?” He asked then.

“I’ve got my father and mother, three older brothers, and two older sisters. I’m the youngest.” Aideen pursed her lips with a sigh. “There’s never a quiet moment in the house nor is there any privacy. But we all manage.” Charlie had to admit that having that many siblings sounded unappealing. The two continued to trade stories about their families and childhoods.

They had grown up in polar opposite lifestyles it seemed. While Charlie grew up in a large house with money, Aideen had been raised on a farm where money was always tight. Aideen had gone to school for only a short time, just long enough to learn to read, write, and do arithmetic before going back to work the farm. Charlie, on the other hand, had been supplied tutors his whole life.

The one thing that they did seem to share though was loneliness. 

After the marvelous lunch, they began to wander through the town, stopping in at a small flower shop where Charlie bought Aideen a rose. They also paused at a fruit stall where they shared a juicy apple, spending the entire time chatting. Alas, time was an obstacle and Aideen had to leave. They agreed to meet in the town next week at the same location.

That night, when Charlie came home, Lizzie noted the large smile on the boy’s face and mentioned it to Tommy that evening. 

“Charlie’s oddly happy,” Lizzie commented to Tommy that night as the parents watched their children play with model horses. “Where did he get off to today?” Thomas was unsure and stopped Charlie that evening before the boy went to bed.

“Did you have a good time today?” Tommy asked and Charlie nodded, having already planned for this. “Where did you say you were going again?” 

“Aston. Met up with a friend of mine, Rory. Do you remember him? He and I played football together when we were younger. He was the one who was always getting hit in the head.” Thomas’ eyes narrowed slightly but he said nothing else, letting Charlie slip by. 

Once more the week slipped by agonizingly slow. How was he supposed to wait six more days to see her? It felt like all he could think about was her...that beautiful smile of hers. The way her hair framed her face and that one chipped tooth that was adorable…

The weekend did come though and once more Charlie was out the door, calling a quick goodbye as he shoved a bagel in his pocket. The two spent the day together once more and had a jolly time. In their next meet up, they decided to go to a different town to explore since they had spent so long in this one. 

In the new town, the first place they stumbled upon was a bookshop and with the two sharing a love for reading, naturally, they had to go in.

“What are some of your favorite books?” Aideen asked as she followed Charlie inside. The shop was small with shelves up to the ceiling that was piled with books. There was the smell of dust and old books and upon closer inspection, many of the books seemed to be used. 

“That’s hard,” Charlie admitted, glancing over at her. “I do love the Sherlock Holmes series. Have you read them?” When Aideen shook her head, Charlie made a fake gasp. “How dare you!” He teased, receiving a giggle in response. The boy made quick work of finding a copy of the stories before searching for a place to sit. Aideen was the one who spotted the small corner that was hidden away by the bookshelves. There was nowhere to sit but that did not stop the two who instead, sat on the ground. 

Charlie read out loud in a soft voice so only Aideen could hear as he read A Study in Scarlet, making sure to do voices for each character, much to the delight of his friend. By the time Charles finished, the shopkeeper was giving them a stern glance so Charlie quickly bought the book and they rushed out before finding a small cafe to read in. When it was time for them to depart, Charlie slipped the book into Aideen’s hands. “Finish reading it when you can and perhaps next time we see each other, you can tell me your thoughts?” 

“I love that idea, thank you, Charlie.” She answered, taking one of his hands and giving it a light squeeze. “I had so much fun today...are you able to meet next weekend then?” Once more they figured out the time and place before heading in opposite directions.

Their meetings quickly became a weekly occurrence and occasionally even twice a week if they were lucky. Charlie kept up the lie about visiting his friend and while Thomas had his doubts, he also was dealing with a million other things with his line of work so Charlie was able to keep the farce up. Lizzie was questioning Charlie’s actions as well but kept her questions to herself. Charlie had always been controlled in his life and for once he was being allowed to have independence.

Weeks quickly turned into months and it felt like he had known Aideen his whole life. Charlie told her all sorts of things that he never dared to utter to another living soul. She knew about his interest in working with horses rather than the family business. She also knew how he longed to leave England and travel the world. In return, Aideen told Charlie stories from her childhood and all the trouble she and her siblings had gotten into. These were always Charlie’s favorites since they always resulted in laughter in the end.

As their friendship grew, Charlie found himself taking every chance he could to be as close as he could to Aideen. Their hands would brush occasionally while walking or their shoulders touched for the entire movie they had seen. Books were often another instance where they had an excuse for touching. Aideen just had to rest her hand on Charlie’s arm as he read or Charlie’s hand would sit next to hers, their fingers brushing lightly.

Both of his parents knew Charlie was seeing somebody and Tommy was fully prepared to pry it out of his son if he had to, but Lizzie convinced him that no, Charlie needed this independence. It took some work on Lizzie’s end but her husband did eventually let the issue die down.

The seasons had changed as their meetings continued and autumn came around, turning the leaves bright new colors, and even more of an excuse to touch one another in order to “stay warm”. This also meant that their activities were becoming limited since the weather was now against them. That was when Charlie suggested they go dancing and Aideen readily accepted.

So that evening, the two met at a fairly large dance hall and God, Charlie was nervous. It had taken him nearly an hour to get ready and he had changed his outfit five different times before settling on the original. He wore beige dress pants with a simple dark blue collared shirt and matching jacket. He had forgone the peaky cap just in case and instead had just greased his hair back.

Charlie arrived over half an hour early which proved to be an issue because, as he sat in the car waiting, his thoughts had the chance to travel...and his mind was filled with the image of the two of them dancing, Aideen pressed against his chest, Charlie’s chin resting on her head. Her hands were always so warm...Charlie was sure they would be warm tonight despite the chilly wind. 

As a bus arrived, Charlie instantly picked out Aideen on the bus. 

Getting out, Charlie hurried over to greet her off the bus. 

“Holy shit…” He breathed as he helped her down from the bus stop. 

She looked like a goddess. She was wearing a jaw-dropping red gown with a black belt around the middle. The fabric moved with every movement Aideen made and Charlie nearly groaned when she pulled her black jacket around her more securely to stay warm. 

The two made their way inside, giving their coats to an attendant before entering the hall. It was a massive building with a large dance floor that contained dozens of couples, all dancing to the jazz played by a band on a stage against the wall. Charlie offered Aideen his hand which she took “happily?” and Charlie led the way through the dancers until they found an empty table. Already Charlie was growing hot with all the bodies and the hot air that smelled of cigarettes and alcohol. 

“Shall we dance?” Aideen didn’t answer choosing instead to pull Charlie out onto the dance floor. The two melted into the crowd and for Charlie, it felt like Aideen was the only girl in the dance hall. The music floated through the air as the two danced, limbs swinging, grins on both their faces. Aideen looked so beautiful, Charlie thought to himself as he spun her around, her dress and hair flying out behind her. 

Dances blended together that night for Charlie but looking back, it was one of the best nights of his life.

As the night drew near to ending, the band announced that it would be playing a slower song. Charlie’s heart began to thump loudly in his chest and he almost felt nauseous. This was it. This was the chance he had been waiting for. The chance to hold Aideen against his chest. To rest his head on her-

Charlie blinked and found that Aideen had slipped herself into his arms and when she met his gaze, she smirked. “You seemed off in your own little world there, Charlie.” She teased lightly. “Figured it would be best if I took over.”

“Probably a smart move,” Charlie admitted with a chuckle as the two began to sway. Aideen leaned forward, resting her head on Charlie’s chest and he was able to rest his cheek on her head. Her hair smelled of lemons, he noticed, and what a lovely smell that was. 

They continued to sway and Charlie felt quite content to stay like this forever. Aideen felt perfect in his arms and as the song began to come to an end, the two slowed down until they were at a standstill. As their eyes locked, Charlie felt such a strong urge to kiss her that he didn’t think about it and just leaned down, kissing her.

Aideen’s lips were warm against his as she returned the kiss, her arms coming and wrapping themselves around Charlie’s neck as his hands slid around her slim waist. Charlie was sure that he would be quite content to kiss her forever and ever.

Alas, breathing was required and they were forced to pull apart. They finished the night out with a final dance before parting ways. For the entire drive home, Charlie had a massive smile on his face.


End file.
